You Are The Reason
by InaS2210
Summary: They're Alex and Piper. They're inevitable. (Set after Season 7 )
1. Chapter 1

You Are the Reason

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Chapter 1

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This is my first Vauseman fic and I apologize in advance for all the errors. English is not my first language so please bear with me.

Shout out to ColdCoffee123 for inspiring me to write this story .

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Alex wanted to believe.

But it was hard to do so the moment she landed herself in prison. There had just been too much shit; too much pain and too much turmoil in her life that she all but resigned herself to the belief that nothing good will ever happen in her life anymore. Sure, there may be the occasional _crumbs_ thrown her way, simple joys that would make her smile for a few seconds until the reality set in once again and she would be brought back down to the ground. When the rush ended, she would heave a resigned sigh and a tight-lipped smile. She was still in prison and she would be for the next three years.

She wanted to hope. She really did.

She wanted to do Piper right by at least trying. She wanted to believe that they can beat the odds – finally – and that they can prove everybody wrong by coming out of the other side still together.

Alex Vause wanted so much to believe.

But at the same time, she wanted to be realistic.

The struggle for balance was giving her all sorts of headaches.

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It was Yoga Jones who saw through her inner struggles a few weeks after she was transferred to Ohio.

_Find your purpose, Alex._

Yoga Jones looked her in the eye and Alex swore something inside her stirred.

_You won't be in here forever, Vause_.

She knew that.

She knew she would be getting out.

But she refused to acknowledge it out of fear that some fucked up thing would happen again and she'd one day find herself in this place longer and longer than she was supposed to be. She didn't want to jinx it.

_You will have a great life with Chapman outside, Alex. I can feel it._

Alex only offered a tight-lipped smile as an answer.

O

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Okay, maybe there was hope.

"Are you saying he's gone?" Alex asked, as she sat up straight. She fixed her glasses and focused her gaze on the woman in front of her.

"Yes, Miss Vause." The lady, whom Alex remembered was from the District Attorney's office, gave the tall brunette a kind smile. "Kubra and his men have been killed during a drug war with another drug ring."

"Are you sure?" Alex still could not believe it. "Because Kubra got away with everything, Ma'am…." Alex ran her hand over her head in agitation. "He can escape death like no other."

"We got him. All of them."

Alex raised a questioning eyebrow at the lawyer. "The last time that was said to me, I testified against him and he walked away because of some technicality shit. You people put my life in even more risk because he decided it was his mission to kill me after what went down in Chicago."

The blonde lawyer gave a sympathetic smile, all the while rummaging through the stack of papers in front of them. She pulled a couple of glossy sheets and pushed them in front of Alex. "You can check for yourself."

Green eyes widened at the sight. They were crime scene photos and one of them stuck out.

It was Kubra, Alex was sure of it.

"Can you identify him, Miss Vause?"

"He's gone?"

"All of them."

Alex couldn't be more relieved.

"That's great news…."

The blonde smiled once more. "That brings me to the main reason why I'm here." The lawyer gathered the papers and slid them back to the envelope. She then clasped her hands and looked at the brunette intently. "Now that Mister Balik is gone, you'll be a lot safer once you get out of prison."

"Yeah. In three years."

"I will be appealing for an early release." The lawyer grinned. "You have not been proven to have a major role in the riot and frankly, the system failed you when Mr. Balik walked. You were put in danger because of some incompetent fools and I'll make sure to highlight that."

"Seriously?"

"You keep your head down and stay out of trouble and I'll talk to you again as soon as I can, alright?"

O

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"I don't know Boo…"

"Come on Vause….."

"I don't even know how to do that…thing….."

"Oh come on!" Boo scoffed at the taller brunette. "All you have to do is speak into the microphone with that sexy voice of yours and you'll make a lot of us happy, if you know what I mean….."

"Like a phone sex operator?"

"Eh. In theory, it's going to be like a love advice segment – with a twist. A sexy twist….." Boo wiggled her eyebrows for added effects. "For the good of the community, you know?"

Alex shook her head in annoyance, "Boo, I wanna lay low. That can get me in trouble, so I'm gonna have to say no." And with an apologetic look, Alex walked away.

O

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Yoga Jones signed Alex up.

There were no preambles, and definitely no consultations made. She just took a couple of application forms and submitted them before she calmly and nonchalantly told the brunette of what she did.

"The fuck?"

"Don't even try to lie to me, Alex." Jones gave Alex a knowing look. "I know you are a dog person. I was in your bunk, remember?"

"A photo of a dog on my wall doesn't instantly mean I am a dog lover!"

"It's a great program, Vause. Dogs are therapeutic. Besides, it was only an application anyway. They would be screening us and only a select few can be part of the program. If you really don't want to, then just tell them during the interview."

Alex shook her head and was about to offer another rebuttal but Jones beat her to it. The older woman placed a comforting hand on top of the brunette's and gently spoke again. "Something beautiful going to come out of this, I can feel it. Let that beauty in, Vause."

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Alex was one of the eight inmates chosen for the program. She would not admit it out loud but she was genuinely pleased at being selected. She was indeed a dog person and had a Labrador that died a few months before she was incarcerated.

The dog training program would pair the dogs with inmates (who would also be paired with a professional trainer) who will train the dogs for adoption, prepare dogs to help people with physical or mental disabilities, to sniff out narcotics in airports or other public areas, or to track down wildlife threats at national parks. Given Alex's "background", she was tagged to two tasks – train dogs to sniff narcotics as well as train them for adoption.

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Alex was assigned a Labrador.

A Labrador that reminded her so much of her old dog, Bali.

But that wasn't the only thing that made the whole situation _interesting_.

When Jones said that something _beautiful _may come out of the process, Alex was sure she was talking metaphorically.

No, Alex never imagined that it would be, quite literal.

Her partner-trainer was _gorgeous. _

Alex had seen and had been with lots of beautiful women pre and post-Piper. She had romanced and seduced ladies both for work and pleasure and she was no stranger to _this _kind of scene. Don't get her wrong though; Piper would always be the most beautiful woman in the world to her but this lady was a close second.

Her name was Sophie – a blue-eyed blonde a few inches shorter than the brunette. She was a Veterinarian who did volunteer work with the organization after completing the required training certification.

If she were being honest, she was looking forward to the whole thing. She felt great being around dogs and it didn't hurt that there was some eye-candy nearby.

It was a harmless and fun _admiration_. She made a promise to be faithful to Piper going forward and she would follow-through with it. But _looking _won't be so bad, yeah? She figured she'd use the program to genuinely better herself and enjoy everything that came with it.

Alex had a good feeling about the program and she made a mental note to thank Yoga Jones.

0

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Five months into her new life in Ohio, Piper can safely say that she had a steady rhythm going on. She worked at Starbucks while attending law classes. A month ago, she ventured into freelance writing and to her delight, she was getting a steady stream of projects which meant a steady flow of income. Her main focus was saving as much money as she could and setting up a simple, but decent life for her and Alex.

She vowed to wait for Alex.

And Alex promised to come home to her.

The road had been turbulent but Piper knew this time would be different. The _best _kind of different.

They were inevitably going to be together again and Piper won't let anything or anyone get in the way of her and Alex ever again.

Not this time.

Never again.

O

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Alex looked refreshed and happy.

Younger, in fact.

The blonde had not seen Alex in twelve days because she had to work extra shifts after two of her co-workers went down due to viral infection. She failed to make it to visitation day but managed to talk to Alex on the phone who only told the blonde that she had a _surprise _for her before she insisted on hearing about what Piper had been up to.

Now, Piper could not help but stare at her partner. She was almost 40 – would be in a couple of months – but she was defying aging and Piper could not help but be mesmerized. She had fallen so hard for Alex Vause a dozen years ago and she never really stopped being in love with the brunette. As she looked into those emerald eyes, the blonde could not help but fall deeper and deeper. There was something in those eyes. Something she had never seen in a long while. There was that hint of mischief but there was also palpable kindness and softness in them. There was peace yet restless excitement in them and Piper wanted to know everything. She wanted to be a part of whatever it was that was making Alex look _that _happy.

"I have a dog…." Alex blurted out as she squeezed Piper's hand.

"What?" The blonde could not help but be equally giddy. Alex's enthusiasm was infectious. "What do you mean you have a dog?"

Alex went into a litany of what happened over the last week and Piper could not help but feel so happy at the sight.

Alex loved dogs. They talked about adopting one early on in their relationship but then…..things _happened _and the idea had been forgotten as soon as Piper left. As Piper listened to Alex's stories, one thing stood outthough.

The name Sophie.

"So Sophie is a vet?"

"Yeah! She volunteers twice a week and she's awesome. She helped me with Jack and it's insane how freaking adorable the bastard is. He's a quick learner and you won't believe how Sophie managed to make it all look so easy!"

"That's really great, babe ….."

"Oh and by the way…." Alex shifted in her seat but never let go of the blonde's hand. "Sophie told me I could continue to get trainings here and once I get out, she can continue training me and then hire me as a vet assistant or something. She's planning on pitting up her own clinic along with her friends in a couple of months and I l know I shouldn't keep my hopes up because a lot of things can happen. I mean, I still got less than a year left in my sentence and who knows, she might just be pulling my leg right?"

Piper's attention was piqued by the last part of Alex's rambling. "Wait….. Wait…. Hold up….. Did I hear it right? Less than a year – "

Alex beamed. "Babe that was one of the things I wanted to talk to you about….."

"Alex!" Piper's eyes widened in excitement, her heart thumped in her chest at the possibility of being with Alex sooner than expected.

"The lady from the DA's office came to talk to me months ago but I didn't tell you because I don't want you to keep your hopes up. Frankly, I did not want to believe her because they suck, you know? But she did say they'll try to have my sentence commuted my because Kubra's dead and they believe I'll be safe outside now. They wanted to make up for the Chicago fuck up. I didn't really take it to heart but…" Alex smiled and Piper could not help but fall in love all over again. "She pulled it off, Pipes….."

"She did?" Piper felt the tears pool in her eyes at the revelation. "How long are we – "

"Six months….."

"Get the fuck out of here! Seriously?"

Alex only nodded in response and Piper was too emotional to even let out a single word.

"Kid….." Alex tugged Piper's hand as she tried to get her attention. Piper was now crying but also smiling at the same time. "Oh kid…" Alex's voice sounded even raspier as she looked into those blue eyes she loved so much. "The things I would do to you babe….." Alex grabbed Piper's hand and affectionately kissed it before teasing Piper further with "_the things I would do to you once I get out, Pipes..."_

O

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0

There will be no sleeping with other people in here.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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Piper furrowed her brows as a particular photo caught her attention.

She was taking a break from writing and her attention had been drawn to the PAWS Instagram page that Alex previously mentioned, albeit in passing and without much regard for. Piper made a mental note on the drive back to her apartment to check out the page which was apparently the organization's official account. While on a short break, Piper browsed through the page and was very pleased to note that the organization indeed was doing a very noble job of caring not only for abandoned animals but more so, helping out inmates as well as mental health patients live better lives. She made sure to follow the account and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support it had if the 8.8 million followers were any indication. She could not help but smile when she noticed the donations update and how it said that the quarter's donations had surpassed the target threefold.

The blonde clicked on the post that caught her eye and as soon as the image had been enlarged, she could not help but smile. It was a photo of the inmates and the professional trainers along with their assigned dogs. It was perfectly "choreographed" as it looked like a legit "class picture". Her eyes instantly zoned in on Alex – her Alex – who was right in the middle of the pack, towering over all the other people in the photo. It was no longer a surprise to her how she always managed to find Alex right away, her height notwithstanding.

Alex had always been the only person she truly ever saw.

Everything and everyone else was just background.

This time was no different. She saw Alex held onto a leash that restrained her Labrador – a smirk in place. How she managed to look insanely attractive sans makeup was beyond Piper. She told herself she should stop trying to make sense of that mystery but it never failed to catch her off-guard every single time she looked at Alex Vause. She tried to look at the other people in the photo and she could not help but smile at the sight of Yoga Jones, Norma, and Gina who all looked equally stoked about the whole situation. The blonde couldn't be more grateful that Alex was in good company.

As her eyes scanned the photo further, Piper noticed the hand that was holding onto Alex's arm. Her gaze traveled up the offending hand until they reached the face of its owner. The blonde frowned as she took in the sight. It was of a blonde woman, about the same height as her, who looked rather clingy than the situation called for. She would make a calculated guess and say this must be _Sophie _since the rest of the inmates stood side by side with their respective "partners" who wore their own scrubs.

Okay.

Piper took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. There was no point in entertaining bad thoughts in her head anymore. Sure, that woman beside Alex was attractive and looked young but they made a promise to trust each other and not let anything or anyone come in between them again. They agreed that it was a terrible mistake to "open" their marriage and vowed never to sleep with other people ever again.

They also vowed to be open and honest with each other so Piper was totally going to ask Alex about the woman in the picture the next time she visited the brunette. For now, she was not going to make a big deal of a photo.

At least not yet.

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Piper just got off the phone with Alex and the blonde was now preparing dinner. She had a pretty good shift at the coffee shop and she felt even energized after the conversation with Alex. She did mention the photo and they ended up having a flirty banter about it that ended with Alex assuring her that Sophie was just another pretty face – kinda like all the other girls Piper saw Alex interacted with many years ago. The brunette was honest about it though. Alex did say that she found the woman attractive and nice to look at but she had already drawn a line and that Piper had nothing to worry about. Piper was honest too. She told Alex that she was still feeling a little jealous and asked if Alex can refrain from reciprocating any "touches" from the other woman. The brunette of course acquiesced.

Piper was getting ready to start working on her writing project when her phone rang again. She glanced at the device and furrowed her brows at the unregistered number. Curiosity got the better of her and she allowed for it to ring one more time before she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Piper, darling….."

"Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie, it's Mom."

"Why are you calling me from a different number? Is everything alright? Are you okay? Is dad okay?"

"Oh Piper, we're alright, honey." Carol sounded weird, and Piper could not help but be worried. "Are you home?"

"Yes, Mom –"

"I'm at the Hilton Garden near the Columbus Airport. Can I come see you tomorrow or whenever you're free?"

"You're here in Ohio? Are you by yourself" Piper was full-on worried now when Carol answered affirmatively. "Mom, you're making me worry –"

"Oh darling, don't be. I am honestly, honestly good. Better than ever, really." Carol said in a placating manner.

Piper then decided that the best course of action was to meet her mother in person. She wouldn't have been able to stop thinking about her anyway. Since she was way ahead of her writing deadline, she swiftly changed out of her pajamas and drove to the hotel. It was almost eight in the evening when her mother welcomed her into her suite.

Carol was indeed alone.

She was alone but Piper had never seen her look _that _relaxed.

Carol uncharacteristically hugged her daughter tight before bursting into a fit of giggles. Piper was confused. She had to ask her mother if she was stoned or something since she definitely was not drunk. Carol merely waved her daughter off before she dragged her to the suite's small living room. As they sat down, Carol took Piper's hand in hers and she started to talk.

And boy did she talk.

"I've filed for divorce," Carol said in a way that gave no indication that she regretted it. She looked happy and relieved.

"No shit? Mom, when did this happen?"

Carol went into the details of the decision. Apparently, she filed for divorce from her husband about a month ago.

"It was a long time coming, Piper. I should have done it decades ago."

Piper was shocked. She never once, in a million years, thought that her mother would leave her father. She remembered the conversation they had about the can of corn incident and wondered how her mother went from being the long-suffering wife to _this_ woman.

But to Carol, it was a decision that should have been made a long time ago. She married Bill not because she was madly in love with him, but because he came through for her. He was reliable and she was there when she needed him. But she knew that what she felt for him wasn't the kind of love that she wanted or craved for. And frankly, she didn't really have much of a choice back then. There was no one else for her and her family was pressuring her to settle down because the rest of the girls in her _circle _were getting hitched. She was made to believe it was the ultimate purpose of her life – marry a rich man and give him two or three children and raise them to be upstanding members of the society – exactly like the way her own mother groomed her. When she married Bill, she let go of her secret dream of traveling the world and taking photos of everything she found beautiful. Her mother shut down her attempts of applying for National Geographic. Instead, she was put in more "training" on etiquette and exposed to the ins and outs of fundraising and galas and fashion and being the perfect dutiful wife.

When she had Daniel, she knew it was all over for her. She ceased to exist as Carol. She was just Carol Chapman, William "Bill" Chapman's blonde wife. Don't get her wrong, she loved her children. They were the only reason she stayed in a marriage that turned out to be loveless and filled with deceit and resentment. When Bill had his affairs, it hurt her. It hurt her but not because she loved him and didn't want to share him. All those hoes could have him, she never really cared. She was not only hurt. She was humiliated. It made her so angry because she could have had a better and happier life without him. But she stayed. She stayed because the children were growing up and she did not want them to resent them for breaking the family up.

Funny how that sounded now, in retrospect.

They have done more damage by staying together.

"Mom, are you positive you're okay?" Piper asked in a voice full of concern.

"I have never felt better, Piper," Carol said genuinely. "Ii have never felt this free."

"Oh, mom….." Piper hugged her mother. They have reconnected as soon as she got out and the younger blonde had been pleasantly surprised at how much Carol had changed when it came to accepting her orientation and her choices.

"I was going through my things after I filed for divorce and you know what I realized?"

"That you have nothing from this decade?" Piper tried to lighten the mood but she stopped the moment she saw sadness flashed in her mother's eyes.

"Worse." Carol sighed. "I realized that I owned _nothing, _Piper. All my clothes were bought with your dad's money. My car was paid for by him….. The house…." Carol said in a broken voice. "My jewelry? Either they were from your dad or they were handed down to me by my parents who also had them handed down to them by their parents. I'm 64 and I have nothing to my name – nothing that I earned myself"

"Mom…"

"You make me so proud though, Piper," Carol muttered softly. "All three of you. The misery and sadness had been worth it because I had the three of you. I know I haven't been the mother that you needed and I could not have regretted it more that I have failed you. I tried to mold you into the people everybody expected you to be and never really supported you enough –"

"Mom, it's –"

"It was never okay, Piper. I resented my life and what did I do? I tried to bring you up in the same way that I was brought up. I hated it and yet I subjected you to it too. What kind of monster would –"

"You are not a monster, Mom."

"I'm just so sorry, sweetie…."

"Apology accepted Mom." Piper hugged her mother ever so tightly. "I haven't really made it easy for you either…." They laughed through tears as they continued to revel in each other's warmth.

"Seriously though, honey, I am proud of you."

"Yeah, I work at Starbucks and live in a small apartment and write on the side… I know it's not –"

"You chose the hard road, Piper. You chose happiness over comfort. Love over easy and that is so, so brave of you. You are the bravest person I know."

Piper felt her throat constrict at the words of her mother. Life really had not been easy over the past few months but she could not deny that she was happy. She was at peace because she followed her heart and she chose Alex.

"I like Alex, you know?" Carol blurted out as soon as they got more comfortable on the sofa.

"Really?"

"Well, at first, I hated her," Carol admitted. "I mean, she did name you." The older blonde shrugged. "But as time went on, I realized that sure, it was a bad thing…. What she did was bad. But you were also not a child. Young, sure. But I refuse to believe I raised such a gullible child. You were young but you already had a mind of your own. You could have easily said no and be done with it. But you chose to do it and you were responsible for that. We Chapman's love to put the blame on other people and refuse to take responsibility for our own actions. I know your father blames me for him cheating." Carol chuckled dryly. "But I also saw how she changed you. Alex lit a fire in you and she made you into this strong person. And you love her. You love Alex so much that I can't… I can't bear seeing you so broken over losing her."

"I love her. Yes, I have never loved anyone as much as I love her."

"And she loves you too, right?"

Piper could only blush and nod in response.

"She is ridiculously good-looking. I honestly see the appeal….."

"Mom…"

But Carol was on a roll. "I can see why you can't let her go even with that Zelda woman all over you and offering you the world….." The older blonde teased.

"Dad was totally Team Zelda though….."

"What do you expect? Bill, bless his heart, can be equally shallow. I mean, I do truly believe he just wants what's best for you. In his heart, Zelda would be the best choice. But your father was raised with the default mindset that better or best always mean expensive and big and grand. That was how he was raised. Gold is good. Why do you think he went for me?" Carol winked good-naturedly. Piper knew her mother was also trying to make things lighter by making jokes. "But yes, that's your father for you. He sees the surface is pretty and that's automatically what's good for you."

"I get it, Mom."

"He failed to see that Zelda never made your eyes shine. I only saw your eyes shine so bright when you talk about Alex. And honey, I don't blame you for feeling something for someone after being deprived of the things you were used to for a long time. Although, if I'm being honest, I don't really buy into the whole thing with that woman. My senses were tingling and I don't know. On the surface, she's perfect but there was this feeling that she's not really what she seems, you know what I mean?"

"Oh, Mom….." Piper sighed. "All I know is I still feel guilty over it and for telling Alex I had feelings for her..."

"Did you, really?"

"Well, not love. You know that giddy feeling when someone hot pays you attention? It wasn't even close to love….."

"Well, it's all in the past. Alex knew about it and you two have moved past it."

OOO

"What is it, Mom?" Piper huffed as she raised a questioning brow at her mother. Carol was looking at her weirdly like she wanted to know something but didn't want to risk offending or making her uncomfortable.

"Nothing." Carol just shook her head but the mischief in her eyes was still there.

"Oh please! What is it?"

"Well, I always wondered….." Carol cleared her throat before continuing, "I was just curious, I don't mean this to make you uncomfortable but…"

"Oh my, out with it, Mom…"

"Is lesbian sex really that good?" Carol asked- her voice barely above a whisper. "Or is Alex just that good Because…. Polly told me some things about what you had with Alex before and I mean, Alex is really very fit and tall and gorgeous, but is it –"

"Oh my goodness, Mother! Who are you?"

Carol placed her hand on her chest in faux offense. "I'm just curious….."

"I'm not talking about this with you."

"Fine."

"Fine."

OOO

"So, Alex is just that good?"

"Mom!:"

"Okay, I'm just really curious."

"You need to stop. This is weird."

"Aright then."

O

"Did you really orgasm seven times in one night?"

"I'm not answering any more questions from you."

OOO

That night, Piper slept in the same bed with her mother for the first time since forever. They continued talking about Carol's plans. She was set to get half of Bill's assets but Carol declined. She was not proud of it, but the inheritance she received from her parents was the one thing she would have to fall back on. It wasn't as big as what she would have gotten from the divorce settlement but she reckoned it would good enough for the simple life she was envisioning to live. She caught up with a good friend from college who had a jewelry business in San Francisco. Her friend asked her if she wanted to join the company and design jewelry since Carol apparently had a creative side that said friend was privy to.

Piper had not seen her mother that excited and while she felt sad for her father, she can't help but be stoked for her mom.

"I'm going to climb mountains and go around the world and take lots of photos," Carol muttered in an almost child-like excitement. "I hope you and Alex could join me sometime."

"We'll do all those things. I promise, mom."

"Can you teach me that Instagram thing?"

"Sure, mom."

O

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Carol stayed for a few more days, even opting to leave the comforts of the hotel in favor of Piper's apartment. To Alex's surprise, Carol accompanied Piper during visitation before the older blonde flew to Los Angeles to spend a few days with her eldest child, Danny.

O

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"Why are you so hot, Al?" Piper sighed dreamily as she once again found herself staring at the new batch of Instagram posts. She clicked on a particular photo that featured Alex and her Labrador along with Gina and Yoga Jones. They were on the floor, their respective dogs on their laps. It was a closeup shot and Piper could not help but swoon at the picture.

Though apparently, she wasn't the only one swooning if the over 500k likes were any indication.

As the blonde browsed through the comments, she felt more and more pissed.

_What's the name of the brunette with glasses? She is uber hot!_

_CSI'd her name tag and her name is Vause. Alexandra Vause. Damn! Even her name is hot!_

_I want to replace that dog and be on that lap instead_

What the fuck?

Piper was getting riled up at the comments. How dare these people talk about her Alex like that?

_I want to be her bitch so bad!_

_How tall is that hottie with glasses? I swear those legs can go for miles! _

_When the hot one gets out, I swear I'll ravage her._

_Whoever is running this page, please can you respond to my DMs? Is the hot inmate with glasses married? Or is she single?_

"Bitch, her wife will cut you."

_Alexandra Vause, I want to be your pet…..I promise I'll be a good girl….._

_Nice tits. Lady, if you ever need a man to make you feel good, I'm all in_

_I'm hard just by looking at her_

_I volunteer to have your babies!_

_The hot one with glasses? Marry me? Pretty please?_

"She is fucking married you assholes!" Piper slammed her laptop shut as her temper rose. These idiots are so full of shit!"

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* * *

Alex looked taken aback by Piper's statement. She cocked her head to the side and looked at her partner intently. She wanted to understand why Piper was adamant about her request.

"Pipes, I will be out in three months. Why can't we just do that once I'm released?"

"Don't you want to? Have you changed your mind?"

"About what?"

"Quit being obtuse, Alex." The blonde was getting upset. "I want us to get married for real as soon as possible. You make a request and as soon as it gets approved, we'll tie the knot here."

"But that would take time. Months even. I might be out even before it gets approved."

"Just file it, Alex."

Alex looked at the blonde and realized that there was no reasoning with her at this point. "Alright babe, I'll do it."

"Good,"

"Now tell me what's wrong. Be honest with me, Pipes." Alex rubbed soothing circles on Piper's knuckles as she urged her to talk.

"It's stupid –"

"It's not stupid when it's making you upset babe. Come on, tell me."

"Your photos on Instagram…... " Piper trailed off.

Alex nodded. They were informed that the photos taken of them during the program might make it to the organization's social media pages. They were asked if they were fine with it and Alex initially didn't want to until she realized that Kubra and his men were dead and she was in the clear. She wanted to have less self-imposed restrictions and she decided that it would be a step in the right direction. She was tired of hiding and being afraid. "What about it, Pipes?"

"The comments pissed me off. They were talking about you like a piece of meat – like they could not wait to get their claws on you and I hated it."

"My baby got jealous?" Alex teased.

"Jealous and upset."

Alex could not help but laugh. "And how would we getting married in here change anything? I know I said something about how our wedding wasn't real but I only said that because I wanted to free you from anything that tied us together. But Pipes, I don't need a ceremony to feel married to you. You've always been my other half, legal or not."

"I know that." Piper sighed. "But it would really mean the world to me if we do it legally. I know I sound ridiculous but I just really need to get it into my head that I am your wife. Legally."

The pair looked at each other intently, and for a brief moment, Piper saw something pass through Alex's eyes. It was fleeting but she had known Alex long enough to be sure that she remembered something important.

"what is it?"

"What?"

"What came to your mind just right now?"

Alex debated whether she should tell Piper _now _or wait until she had the confirmation she needed. But looking at the blonde now, she knew there was no way she was letting _it _go.

"Okay." Alex cleared her throat and adjusted her position on the stool so she could lean more towards Piper. "We promised to be honest with each other. But this thing happened before we got incarcerated and perhaps while you were with Larry….."

"And how is it relevant now?"

"It might not be relevant at all, but I'm not totally sure." Alex fidgeted in her seat and hoped that Piper would be _chill _about it although _chill _was not really a word she would associate with Piper. "Just listen first, okay? Let me finish and don't cut me off."

"Okay….."

"Ii need you to check some public records both here and in the Netherlands if I'm legally divorced – "

"What?"

"Pipes -"

"What the fuck?! You're married?"

"For fuck's sake, Piper, tone it down….." Alex muttered under her breath. "I said let me finish."

"You better explain yourself, Alex!"

"I'm trying…."

Piper glared at the brunette in front of her. She let go of Alex's hand harshly then crossed her hands on her chest in anger. "Speak!"

Alex sighed. This was going to be a little difficult to explain. "It was three years after you left. She was just some random woman I met in Belgium after I got out of rehab but she was from the Netherlands. We dated for about a year then one thing led to another and we found ourselves married a few months later." Alex gulped. "She knew about my job and for a while, she turned a blind eye to the situation but we fought about it from time to time. Then a year into the marriage she was adamant that it was either her or my job and well…" Alex cleared her throat once again before she continued, "I couldn't get out no matter how much I wanted to. Kubra didn't know about her, only Fahri did. She stayed in the Netherlands and would travel around the world for work and each time I could, I would fly to where she was. It wasn't the best setup but it worked for a while until….. Well…. until it stopped working."

"Did you get a divorce?"

"Not right away. We just stopped seeing and talking to each other –"

"What the fuck, Alex?" Piper could not believe what she was hearing.

"A few weeks before I got to Litchfield, I received an email from her asking if we could meet up. We did and she handed me the divorce papers. We signed them but I haven't heard from her again."

"And you didn't think this was something I should have known earlier?" Piper was in shock at the information.

"Pipes, I have no excuse. I have blocked out the past and compartmentalized my life for the longest time that I genuinely forgot about her. When we signed the papers and hugged each other goodbye that was it. Maybe they sent me the documents but I haven't really had the chance to check the moment I got in."

"So I need to check if you are indeed divorced?"

"Yes."

"What if you're not?"

"I doubt that. "

"But what if you're not?"

"Then I'll fix it as soon as I get out"

Piper clenched her jaw as she continued to stare at Alex angrily. She could not believe it.

"You married someone."

"Years after you left," Alex noted. "And you were going to marry someone too."

"Years after we parted ways."

"Exactly." Alex sighed. "Look, babe….."

"You vowed to love someone else for the rest of your life…" Piper choked out.

"It wasn't –"

"Was that why you had your vows prepared when we got married? You _knew _what to do because you've done it before?"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Pipes,….. we got married in front of a judge with the intern as the witness. There were no heart-warming vows… just the generic legal stuff."

"So what Alex? It still hurts!"

"Piper….."

"And it was legal….."

"And it was over." Alex shot back.

"Did you love her?"

Alex sighed. They both promised not to lie to each other anymore. "I did. She was there after I got out of rehab and she was good to me. But I knew early on that it won't last." Alex looked into Piper's eyes, urging her to listen. "I never stopped being in love with you despite everything. What I felt for her never really compared to what I felt for you… What I feel for you…."

"I hate her." Piper knew she was being petulant at this point but she could not help herself. She knew that Alex loved her the most and would love her and only her from this point on. She knew that. But she still could not help but feel angry at the situation. When will their pasts stop getting in the way of their future?

"She won't be a factor in our lives, Pipes." Alex tried to reassure her partner. "You are and always will be my wife, paper or not.

"She better not be."

"Why don't you email her-"

"Nope." Piper shook her head in annoyance. "I'd rather do my own search instead of being in contact with your ex. Besides, she could be crazy." The blonde huffed. She was still pissed and upset but not as angry as she was a few minutes ago. "Is she crazy? Like that Sylvie chick? Your exes are crazy. Even that Barbie bitch –"

"Careful Pipes…you were my ex too, remember?"

"Fuck you."

"Soon. Very soon, babe."

* * *

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Piper's eyes scanned the screen in front of her. Armed with all the necessary details, she started her search. The name Alex gave her left a sour taste in her mouth but she had to be aware of it to get the results she needed.

She can only hope that things would turn out the way she hoped.

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**Note:**

**What do you think Piper will see? **

**To address the reviewer, no, Sophie is not a choice nor an option for Alex. It's Piper and only Piper. Although of course, Alex might get a little naughty. But no sleeping with other people.**

**And no, the ex-wife is also not a factor. Won't even give her the "respect" of having a name. At least not in any chapter that I foresee. I just always thought that Alex would have been serious with at least one person aside from Piper over the years and not just flings. And I also think that Alex did have flings and affairs before and after she was estranged with the wife. Those are my headcanons.**


	3. Chapter 3

III

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* * *

Alex was indeed legally divorced.

Piper was able to heave a sigh of relief as soon as the result of her search came out favourably. Still, despite her initial stance, she decided to go the _more direct _route. For Piper, more direct meant finding out straight from the source – the ex-wife herself. Piper convinced herself that she needed to be sure. Some documents might be fake, right? So the best way was to get in touch with the woman at the heart of the issue and ask her straight if Alex and she were indeed officially divorced. Part of the process entailed a mild stalking method. Not for anything else, it was just part of the process, okay?

Piper had the email address and contact number. So while waiting for _Lana Van der Berg _to respond, Piper was logically supposed to at least find out a little bit about her, right? No, she was not checking out a competitor. Duh, there was no competition. Those two were kaput. Done and over with. Piper Chapman had nothing to worry about. Alex was with her _now _and will be with her until her last breath.

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Okay, so maybe she checked out the ex's social media accounts a little bit.

She was curious alright? And a little annoyed. Because while they were divorced, it also meant that Alex was legally married once in her life. The idea made her heart ache and she wanted nothing more than to punch something. Preferably Lana Van der Berg's very symmetrical face. The woman was stunning as expected. Why Piper hoped otherwise was beyond her. Kidding - she knew exactly why she hoped the other woman was anything but pretty.

She looked about Piper's age; blonde and had had dimples and Piper would begrudgingly admit that she had one of the most captivating blue eyes she'd ever seen. Piper also accidentally (purposely) stumbled upon a batch of old photos of Alex and Lana. She would have wondered how Kubra didn't know of the other woman but then again, Alex was never tagged in any one of them. She remembered how Alex's private social media accounts have vanished after their break-up. Piper did try to cyberstalk her then ex-girlfriend after she left the brunette in Paris but it was as if she had been erased electronically. Gone were the accounts she knew the passwords to, along with all their photos and memories.

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Lana Van der Berg replied five days after her email. The answers were brief and formal. She merely stated that yes, they were divorced and she would ask her lawyer to send a copy of the decision to Piper.

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* * *

Alex was getting out in twenty-six days.

Twenty-six freaking days.

After going back and forth about the subject of marriage, Piper eventually acquiesced and agreed to get married – legally this time – once Alex had settled into the "outside world". The brunette knew that Piper would remain restless though, so in attempt to placate her partner, Alex suggested that she start planning their wedding, albeit with a 'disclaimer' that the brunette would have the right to veto some of them.

Piper was beyond thrilled. The moment Alex told her she can do the initial planning for their wedding, she immediately asked her closest friends to hang out with her in her apartment the following weekend to help her out. It was Alex who encouraged her to go out and have friends.

_Create new friendships, Pipes. We'll create new memories and have new friends and live the rest of our lives together. _

So Piper did. Her work friends were awesome – for lack of a better word. They knew about her life pre and post-Litchfield and they certainly knew about Alex. They were nothing short of supportive and had been a great source of joy (and entertainment). She also had a couple of friends from her law classes who were equally nice.

"I know you and the hot one would _love _some alone time to reconnect," Justin, one of her co-workers said with a wink, "so I volunteer to take your shifts. The hubby would be going home to Puerto Rico for a relative's wedding so you can have the whole of that week off."

"You're not coming with Ricardo?" Anna, another of their friends asked. She was a friend of both Justin and Ricky who worked as a painter and part-time bar singer who eventually became one of Piper's close friends too.

"His family still refused to believe we're married and had convinced themselves we're best friends who share a bed and joint accounts." Justin shrugged. "Ricky had been trying – we both have been – but they're pretty close-minded."

"Well, I know exactly how it feels, Justin." Piper offered a sympathetic pat on her friend's back. "And thank you. I do need someone to take my shifts. I owe you –"

"No, you don't. And enough about us!" Justin waved his hand in the air and signalled the end of that part of the conversation. "So how many people do you have in mind?"

"Very few," Piper smiled as she calmly sipped her wine. "Alex only has her aunt and maybe a cousin or two and I have my family minus our father. So between the two us, that's about six to eight family members including my nephew."

"I say invite that Sophie lady and a couple of guys from the organization," Max, one of Piper's classmates who also worked as a high school literature teacher piped in. "She needs to see that you are real. You know, crush any possible hope she has. Hell, invite your ex-fiancé and Polly just too so they would see how happy you two are."

Piper could not help but laugh at how _passionately protective _her friends had been. She was quick to tell them that Alex and she were no saints but they still see beyond their faults.

"Polly and Larry won't come, I can be sure of that. But I will send them invites just for the heck of it. I'll ask Alex about Sophie and company. While I 'm not comfortable with her closeness with my wife, I can't deny the fact that she had helped a lot. I know she will be a part of Alex's life once she's out so I'm going to give her a chance,"

"But we're keeping an eye on her," Anna added.

The friends all toasted to that.

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* * *

Alex stared at the wall in silent contentment. Piper's photo never failed to make her smile.

She was pleased with everything so far. Nothing was final but she could not help but be so proud of Piper. There were 35 people in the unofficial guest list and Piper showed her the photos of a couple of the shortlisted venues. The one they seemed to agree on was the Burgundy House whose views reminded them of the gorgeous romantic country houses in France.

But just as she was grinning at the thought of tying the knot for real with the love of her life, Alex could not help but think about the costs.

The brunette had talked to her aunt and had the chance to do so in person when the latter visited her in Ohio. Elizabeth, Diane's older sister, had taken Diane in about five years before her death. Elizabeth had been widowed and with her children all living their respective lives across the country, she requested that her sister come to live with her. Apparently, Diane confided in her sister about her worries regarding Alex. Diane _knew _that Alex was involved in something illegal despite Alex not telling her anything. She was sure that the huge amount of cash that came to her mail every month from an _anonymous _source was from her absentee daughter.

Diane knew best. She felt that something will happen to her daughter. So instead of using the cash, she would donate them each time to the nearby shelter and soup kitchens. Whatever money she earned from working three jobs, she placed into a savings account. Elizabeth had been heaven-sent since Diane never had to worry about any bills or food. Everything they needed, Liz provided. It pained Alex to no end to realize that Diane never stopped working to make sure that she would have something to fall back on for when something like _this _happened. Diane always knew best. She always did. And she knew her daughter. She knew Alex more than Alex knew herself.

Elizabeth's words resounded in her head long after the woman hugged her goodbye.

_Diane wanted you to have a clean start. We never knew for certain what you were up to but we had our guesses. So she saved up and she left a will. It's not a lot but it would be enough for you to start over. A clean slate, honey. She had always been proud of you and loved you so mu h no matter what. Make her prouder. _

They made arrangements to get everything in order once Alex got out.

So yes, Alex had the money to shoulder the costs of the wedding. But she was hesitant to shell out any dime from her mother's savings. She would still have more than half of the savings left if that's the case, but she still felt bad. On the other hand, she also did not want to have Piper shoulder most of it. Yet she wanted to give Piper a decent wedding.

Fuck.

What should she do?

She glanced at the small desk and saw the paper that Sophie handed her yesterday. Apparently, the organization had been bombarded by inquiries about her. They did not divulge the penitentiary she was in but that did not stop people from finding out.

_We were told they wanted to offer you modelling contracts_

Alex just laughed it off until Sophie looked at her sternly.

_Not a joke, Vause. We're having a hard time dealing with them. So to stop them from pestering us, we just accepted their cards and promised that we'll get back to them. Think about it. _

Alex thought it was a fucking joke. People were jacked up in the head if they would want _her _– an almost forty-year-old ex-con - to represent their brands. She knew she was hot. Fuck, she had been called that a lot to the point that it had lost its appeal. But a small part of her was intrigued. She did need all the clean money she could get. She wanted a better, decent and _clean _life for her and Piper. Maybe she could see what the offers were? Perhaps she could earn enough to pay for the wedding and then settle into a more stable job in the vet clinic?

_I need to consult with Piper. _

Yes, she needed to talk to the wifey.

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"You wanna do it? I can't tell you what to do, Al," Piper looked at her partner with a small smile.

"I mean, what do I have to lose?" Alex shrugged. "One offered a signing bonus once I meet their criteria or something. We can use that for the wedding?"

"What was the offer for?"

"An underwear campaign. Kinda like CK but not as big. Or as glamorous."

"Wait, what?" Piper's eyes widened at the information.

"They want to do a screen test. You know, see if I have the right body type –"

"They'd want you to strip!"

"Well yeah? I mean, to my underwear….since you know, that's their product?"

"Don't be a smartass," Piper rolled her eyes, "I just…..would you be okay with that?"

Alex raised her brow, "you know I am pretty confident about my body. I don't mind. Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you mind?"

"I'm not exactly giddy about the prospect of other people jerking off to photos of my wife," Piper huffed.

"Well, they may not even push through with it. I told them I got tattoos and stuff. We can go meet with them and decide from there. I want you with me. To all of them."

Piper sighed, "What are the other offers?"

"One from a jeans company, then the one with the truck – I think I want that one – then there's that beer commercial."

Piper was pretty shocked at what she just heard. "Wow. That's a lot."

"Just think about all the free beers and underwear and jeans, Pipes," Alex said in a teasing tone.

"So you wanna do them?"

"Sure." Alex shrugged once again. "But if you're not comfortable with any of them, then I won't." The brunette took the younger woman's hand in hers, "babe, I am sure none of these will last. It's just a temporary hysteria and I think we can take advantage of that very little window that opened. I'll most probably fade into obscurity after a few months and I don't fucking care. This could be the one chance I have to get as much clean money as I could. So I think I should take them and run with the money."

"Alex –"

"No, wait." Alex tugged Piper's hand and gave it a tender squeeze. "I really want to start something. A small business. If there's one thing I'm good at, it would be moving things around. I don't have all the details planned in my head but it's there, Pipes. I think I could use the money to start it up. And we'll see if it could be enough so that you can quit one of your jobs and focus on your studies and writing that book you told me about."

"I'm doing fine, babe –"

"I know you are," Alex smiled. "And I know you can do a lot of things all at once but I want you to know that you don't need to. We're partners, Piper. You don't need to work yourself to the ground."

"We'll sit down and look at our options once you're out. – "

"In 16 days," Alex beamed.

Piper's eyes shone at the statement. They were so close to being together again. This time with so much more freedom and hope and promise. Piper felt like she would burst from joy.

They had yet to agree on a wedding date. The venue was still being debated. Carol was still insisting that she would pay for the dresses and Piper still answered with a resounding no. Her friend Anna was still pestering her to come up with a playlist for the songs that they wanted so she could make some arrangements and Piper still could not make up her mind. Anna's husband had volunteered to officiate the ceremony and Justin and Ricky were still fighting over who would order the flowers (and where). The preparations were still in a state of beautiful chaos but Piper Chapman found it surprising that she did not feel bothered nor stressed at all. Well, at least not yet.

Alex was getting out very soon and she could not wait.

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* * *

**14 days later**

Elizabeth Hayes could not help but get emotional at the sight of her niece. She looked so much like Diane and the older woman can't help but miss her baby sister. It had been over a decade since that painful day but the pain of losing her sister never truly went away.

As she looked at Alex now, she dared to hope that this new life would be kinder to her and to her beloved.

"Thanks for picking me up, Aunt Liz," Alex smiled at her aunt.

"It's nothing, kid," the shorter brunette smiled as she continued the drive back to her hotel. When Alex called her a few days ago asking if she could pick her up from the penitentiary, she was surprised. She was sure that Piper would be the one to do so. For a while, she got worried that something was wrong between the two. She loved Piper and thought she made her niece happy. Alex was quick to placate her though and informed her that she wanted to surprise Piper. She gave Piper the wrong date - which was two days later than her actual release date.

Aside from wanting to surprise Piper, Alex also thought that she needed a moment to herself before she _officially _re-emerges into the society. Elizabeth understood. She took it upon herself to schedule a full day of "pampering" for the both of them. Thankfully the hotel offered spa and facial packages and Liz failed to stop herself from laughing when Alex blushed so hard the moment she told her that she also booked her for a full body wax.

_You can, of course, cancel if you're not into that. But I figured you've been in there for a while and your lady would appreciate it._

"So, you ready for tomorrow, kid?" Liz asked as she packed her bag. She would be leaving for the airport early tomorrow and the two agreed that Alex would be taking a cab to Piper's apartment _their _apartment.

"I am," Alex breathed out. "I'm excited but nervous at the same time."

"That's okay." Liz gave the younger brunette a kind smile. "You'll find your rhythm. Don't overthink things,"

"I guess….."

"Just go in there and screw the hell out of your woman. I know you both need it," Liz smirked and Alex's eyes widened in surprise. She was far from a prude, but the way her aunt said it just took her off guard. "What? I know you have a lot of things running through that head of yours. Would it all work out now that you're now both out of the prison bubble? That's up to you. Marriage entails hard work. Things will be challenging for sure but I have faith in you, kid. Make Diane proud and I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"I'm sorry I disappointed you guys," Alex's voice cracked as a lump formed in her throat.

"Oh, Ally….." Liz moved away from the bed to join her niece on the settee. She gathered the younger woman in her arms and held her tight. "None of us is perfect. We've all done stupid things in our lives. I know I did a bunch of them. But we learn from them. We make amends and we move forward..." Liz caressed Alex's hair and gently added, "you did your time and now it's time to move on. Just promise me you'll keep in touch, alright? Visit your old folk from time to time yeah?"

"I will."

"Good." Liz took Alex's face in her hands looked into those all too familiar green eyes. Goodness, she had her mother's gorgeous eyes. "You'll be fine."

"I'll do my best."

"And I wasn't kidding. Raise the Vause flag and screw the shit out of your wife. I paid a fortune to make sure you're _ready_ baby girl. And I've seen the goods. You really are a Vause. Good job on taking care of that body."

"Just regular sit and push-ups. The sorry excuse for a gym caused more harm than good," Alex chuckled at the memory of the so-called "gym".

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Piper had just gotten dressed after her shower when she heard the knocks on the door. She furrowed her brows in confusion. She wasn't expecting anyone since she made it abundantly clear to her friend that she was not to be disturbed today and in the next five days. She was set to leave in a little over three hours to pick Alex up. She was just waiting for Alex's final call from the penitentiary before she was set to leave.

She grumpily walked towards the door, keen on sending the unwanted visitor away so she could get ready. She wanted to look good for Alex and she spent the rest of last night making sure that the place was clean – their bedroom especially. She bought candles and fresh flowers and had asked Justin to have some of Alex's favourite dishes delivered at around 6:00 P.M. – a little over an hour after their expected arrival from picking Alex up.

She swung the door open, trying to keep her expression neutral as she masked the annoyance in her face.

"Yes –"

"Hi, Madam. Your landlady sent me to inspect your plumbing," a raspy voice floated through the lobby, "said there were some problems. May I come in and work on _your pipes_, Ma'am?"

"Alex….."

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**Next chapter's rated M**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

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Rated M for smut

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O

Piper's senses were on overload.

There was not a single inch of her body that did not tingle. But then again, she was sure that there wasn't an inch of her that Alex did not touch.

Alex did not give her any chance to speak, much less recover from the shock of seeing her right _here. _Right inside her apartment.

Their apartment.

The brunette lunged at her with a smirk, and then everything was a blur.

Her head was spinning from feeling _too much _and her whole body was in heat. Piper's moans were muffled by the brunette's own and all that was left for the blonde to do was to succumb to it all.

She was confused – yet at the same time, she was not – when she realized that she came at least twice while still fully clothed as Alex's body stuck to her like glue.

And all that happened with them not even making it a few feet from the recently locked front door.

"Al….." Piper breathed out her partner's name but all possible coherent thoughts had been halted once Alex's mouth ravaged her once more.

"No talking, Just feel…..feel these…..." Alex walked towards the small living room and pulled Piper with her. Strong hands roughly tugged the blonde's pants, and not long after, Piper felt long fingers pulled her panties down. Alex pushed the younger woman to sit on top of the coffee table. With precise movements, Alex managed to completely rid Piper of her undergarments so she was naked from the waist down. The brunette kissed the shorter woman hungrily, all while her expert fingers sensually rubbed Piper's very heated, very wet core. Alex felt her fingers get soaked and with a mischievous smirk, she removed them from the blonde's pussy.

"Al...Put them back in..." Piper whined at the loss. The brunette merely shook her head and without warning, plunged her middle finger into Piper's mouth.

"Suck," Alex ordered and Piper began to do as ordered and sucked and licked the older woman's finger. "That's right, _Ma'am_, suck it clean." Piper tried to remove her top but Alex stopped her. "That's enough." Alex removed her finger from Piper's mouth and whispered in her ear, "I want you to get on all fours..." Piper did as told, as if under a spell and soon, her ass was now facing Alex. ."Wider….." Alex bit the blonde's earlobe as she gave her orders. "Spread your legs wider, Miss Chapman…."

"Missus….."

"I'm sorry?"

"It's Missus….." Piper answered, angling her head so she was looking at the taller brunette. "Missus Vause….."

"My bad….." Alex looked amused and turned on at the same time. She then grabbed and squeezed the blonde's ass cheeks before she slapped them. "Let me just check on your pipes, Mrs. Vause. I'm afraid the leak's pretty heavy…..'

"Yeah? You gonna fix it?"

"Very thoroughly." Alex hummed as her hand continued to roam the blonde's behind before it stopped on her pussy. "It will take a while though. Can you accommodate me all night? Or well into the morning?"

"Do whatever you want….."

"Yeah?"

"And however long you want….. _Ohhhhh_" Piper's words were cut off as she felt her lover's mouth and tongue attack her core from behind. Alex licked. She sucked and did all sorts of tongue f tricks that had her eyes rolling at the back of her head. Her knuckles started to turn white from the pressure of holding tightly at the edges of the table Alex decided to aid her mouth and tongue with her long fingers – probing Piper's pussy as if they were in search for treasures.

"I'm cumming… I'm c—cumming! FUCK!" Piper's arms gave out from the sheer power of her orgasm but Alex's strong arms kept her in place.

She was barely coming down from her orgasm – still shaking and slightly disoriented when she heard the brunette's raspy voice say to her, "squat."

"Hmmm?" Piper asked. She was catching her breath as Alex steadied her trembling body.

"Face me and squat." Alex directed. She moved to Piper's side and pressed her t hand on the blonde's back for support. The brunette then placed a tender kiss on the side of Piper's head. Without warning, Alex plunged her middle and ring finger inside Piper's leaking pussy.

"Fuck!" Piper moaned in ecstasy, throwing her head back in pleasure. "Shit! Shit, fuck! Ahhh! Ugh, fuck!"

"Uh-Uh….." Alex breathed out, but her pace only picked up.

"Nnnnnnnnnnhhhhhhh!" Piper was an incoherent mess at this point and Alex was even more encouraged to take her actions up a notch. She placed a long, wet kiss on the side of Piper's sweaty head as her fingers thrust harder and deeper into the blonde's pussy.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Piper was completely delirious as Alex continued her assault on her pussy.

"Open your eyes, Missus Vause. Open them." Alex whispered into Piper's ear. "Look down….." She rasped out as she asked the blonde to follow her own gaze. "See that?"

Piper looked down and groaned at the sight of the pool of cum on the coffee table - right below her squirting pussy. Her juices continued to flow with Alex's rough thrust. A particularly deep pump caused Piper's body to still as if a ticking bomb was about to explode. She trembled at the sensation, and shakily snaked her arm around the brunette's shoulders for support – her fingers digging through Alex's pale skin.

"There you go, beautiful…." Alex herself was in awe at the sensual sight. "Let it all flow babe….."

"Ugggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"So gorgeous…"

O

Piper was barely coming down from her orgasm when Alex grabbed her wrists and helped her down the table. Her legs were wobbly and felt like jelly but Alex's hold on her told her the brunette didn't care.

"We have a huge problem, Ma'am…" Alex spoke in a teasing tone. "The pipes need more _fixing_ –"

"Al, I –"

"Your pipes are still leaky..." The brunette muttered in a serious tone. "But you don't need to worry. I brought my _tool _with me….." Alex smirked and grabbed Piper's hand. Still disoriented, the blonde watched as Alex moved her hand to palm her clothed crotch.

Piper's brain short-circuited at the realization. She allowed her palm to feel Alex's crotch and her eyes instantly widened as her partner bucked her hips teasingly. She was so drunk on Alex and all the things she did _to her _that she failed to notice the bulge in the taller woman's pants.

"Are you –"

"I am….." Alex grinned.

O

Alex asked Piper to go over the couch and bend herself over. Feeling intoxicated, Piper did as told despite her body aching from the recently concluded activity they just engaged in.

"Give me that beautiful ass," Alex smirked, slapping Piper's bottom for good measure. She moved towards Piper and pushed her torso down as she held her hips up. She knew the blonde was still wet from squirting so hard so without any preamble, she tugged her pants down and impaled the strapless silicone shaft into Piper's pussy from behind.

"Oh —amah" Piper jerked up in pleasant surprise as Alex moved inside her. She was still wearing her top and Alex made use of it by gripping hard on the fabric for more leverage. She pushed the dildo deep into Piper, and then continued to thrust, establishing a steady rhythm.

"Fuck, Al, you feel so fucking good!"

Encouraged, Alex went in harder and harder. She was rocking the blonde's body with her sharp, on-target thrusts. Beneath her, Piper was a writhing mess. With a mischievous grin, the brunette delivered a hard slap against the blonde's bare ass which elicited a surprised yelp from Piper.

"I'm gonna - fuck!" Piper's whole body shivered once again and just like that, she came once more.

"There you go, baby!" Alex continued to pound unto Piper, helping her ride out her orgasm. But just as Piper began to regain her breathing, Alex nipped the younger woman's ear and whispered naughtily. "Brace yourself, Missus Vause; I'm going to ride you so fucking hard now."

"You're so….." Piper was beyond exhausted. She felt so damn good but boy was her body spent. Alex was going to town with her body and it had only been a short while since she arrived in their doorsteps. "You're so _good_….."

They barely made it a few feet away from the door for fuck's sake. To top it off, Piper was certain that Alex was still _pretty much _completely clothed.

There were no exact words to describe what Alex did next except that the older woman practically _mounted _her. She fisted Piper's hair and rode her hard - pumping into her at a rapid pace.

Savagely – like a starved animal that was just given its first meal after a long time.

"F-Fuck." Piper trembled at the intensity of the thrusts, her mouth agape as a hoarse, strangled moan came out of her mouth. "A-Al…" Alex was fucking the blonde hard and Piper's moans turned into screams as the pace turned erratic.

Piper was so close once again and she was sure she was about to explode. Only, Alex suddenly stopped and the action earned a confused whine from the younger woman. Alex then flipped the blonde over seamlessly so she was on her back. She pulled Piper's right leg so it rested on her shoulder. The action allowed for a better angle and Alex resumed her pounding; the force was enough to make Piper's teeth clatter.

Piper's eyes rolled back in pleasure and her moans were even louder. They were loud and messy and Alex's stunning face was shimmering with sweat.

Piper found it incredibly sexy.

The blonde was a mess. She felt like she was flying, spinning - waves of pleasure coursed over her as her fingers dug unto Alex's skin.

"A-Al….. I'm -"

"I know babe….." Alex would not let on as she continued pounding Piper's pussy. She knew what was coming and she herself was close. "T-together Pipes…._f-fuck…._"

A couple more thrusts later, the two of them fell apart together.

O

O

* * *

**Hours later…..**

Piper lay on top of Alex hours later. They were now both completely naked after Alex requested that they move their _reunion to_ the bedroom. Alex was in awe of the room the moment she stepped foot in it. The apartment itself was small but Piper made a point to design the bedroom so it mimicked _their _old bedroom over a decade ago.

_It's lovely, babe_

Alex was immediately consumed with so much love for the blonde that she wasted no time in showing her how much she loved Piper.

Slowly and ever so gently this time around.

As soon as she removed the dildo and rid herself of all her clothes, Alex dedicated the rest of her time worshipping her partner's body.

Piper came at the mere sight of Alex practically making love with every part of her. The brunette sensually took her time kissing, caressing and _loving _her feet – and inch by inch she went up – until there was not a part of Piper that Alex missed. She looked reverent, as if she was touching something sacred - all the while making sure that Piper heard her say how much she loved her.

_I love you, Piper….._

O

Piper ran her fingers against Alex's exposed skin. She could not believe this was happening. Alex was really here.

Here.

With her.

She was touching her.

She was here, wrapped in Alex's strong arms as she clung to her like a baby koala.

"You're so _clean_…" Piper muttered in amazement, "and so smooth….."

"Aunt Liz took me to the spa," Alex sighed in contentment as Piper's touches calmed her down. It was almost dawn and they were beyond tired. The blonde was sure she won't be able to get out of bed anytime soon. The short naps in between their sex marathon helped but she knew she would be walking funnily at the very least in the coming days. "You like it?"

"Like it?" Piper snorted, "I loved it, babe. And are you kidding me? How are you _so toned_?" Piper's hand continued to explore every available skin she could touch, purely amazed at what she was feeling and seeing.

Alex let out a breathy laugh. "I exercised everyday, Pipes. Being sexually frustrated drove me crazy and I had to channel all that pent up energy into something productive."

"You are so going to book that gig…"

"Well right now, the only gig I want to book is being your sex partner…." Alex wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, her free hand traveling dangerously close to the blonde's center.

"As much as I'd love to, I don't think you can get anything out of me anytime soon, babe," Piper said softly, "you literally milked me dry."

"Are you saying I can't do it?"

"Al, I'm - _ oh my goodness….."_

A mischievous smile graced Alex's face.

O

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* * *

They applied for a marriage license in their nearest probate a few days later. In between _fucking_, the two managed to sneak in some serious talk about their immediate plans for the future. They agreed to get married in the courthouse two weeks after they got their license - with Piper's friends as their witnesses. They would continue planning for their wedding ceremony, only this time, with both Alex and Piper heavily involved and with a bigger guest list.

"Holy shit, she's even hotter in person….." Justin could not keep his eyes off the tall brunette who was currently in the living room with his husband Ricky, Max and Anna's husband Brad.

The group gathered at Piper's apartment for their monthly poker game – almost a week after Alex's release. Piper was coming back to work in two days and after receiving the green light from the blonde, they made plans to have a mini "welcome home" celebration for her partner. They were meeting Alex for the first time and they took it upon themselves to bring food and booze. With Piper in the kitchen when the gang knocked on their front door, Alex was left to welcome their visitors. To say that they found the sight that greeted them to be extremely attractive would be an understatement. They have seen photos of the brunette but seeing her in person – in all her gorgeous statuesque glory – was a whole different story,

"I can see _why _you can't let go," Anna said, her eyes also trained on Alex. "She's so fucking sexy. I'd wait ten years for _that _myself….."

Piper only rolled her eyes at her friends. She knew the effect Alex had on other people. Heck, even Polly was at t loss for words when she first met Alex. Her snobby ex-bestfriend even admitted, willingly at that, that Alex was gorgeous.

"Her voice," Justin shook his head in disbelief, "you fucking lucky bitch. You most probably cum just by hearing that voice."

Piper playfully winked at her friends in response. Really, what was she supposed to say?

O

"You did great, kid," Alex murmured as she spooned Piper in their bed. The group left about an hour ago with the promise to come back soon. Alex did not remember a time when she felt that comfortable and relaxed around other people she just met.

She genuinely enjoyed herself.

"Yeah?"

"Totally," Alex placed a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek, "they were great."

"They loved you," Piper sighed as she melted further into Alex's embrace, "maybe a little too much for my liking though….."

"Oh stop it, they're cool." Alex hugged the blonde tighter and allowed a comfortable silence wash over them. There was so much to do but she loved how they could have moments like these – easy, serene and light. Maybe this was it. They were coming down from the rollercoaster ride, hand-in-hand and looking forward to more stable and fun rides and adventures.

"They're alright," Piper chuckled. "How was your talk with Brad?"

"Great," Alex smiled at the mention of Anna's lawyer-husband. "He was pretty keen officiating our wedding. I told him there was no one else we're thinking about so he looked darn happy about it."

"Have you talked about the offers?" Piper turned on her back so she was facing Alex.

"Sure did," Alex ran smooth circles on Piper's cheek with her thumb as she looked into those eyes she adored. "I asked him to represent me both as an agent and lawyer. I don't know the first thing about this but I think Brad's chill and I don't really want to go around and find someone else we don't know."

"That's cool. You've already talked to your probation officer about flying to New York for the meetings?"

"He won't allow it unless I'll travel for a job. Since it's only a meeting, he rejected my request," Alex shrugged. "It's fine. I already informed the guys from the companies that I can't leave the state yet and they would be flying here instead."

"Whoa. They sure want you, babe…."

"We'll see. I would ask you to come with us but I know you've been off work for a while."

"It's alright babe, Brad's awesome. You're in great hands."

Alex hummed in agreement. She prided herself in being able to read people well and she felt that Brad and the rest of Piper's friends – and hers now too – were the real deal. They were good people.

"I just want to get it all over and done with so we can move on to our next plans…" Alex could not help but feel agitated. She was set to marry Piper in the courthouse on a Tuesday – her lone day off that week – and Brad scheduled three meetings on the succeeding days, one for each company who asked for them. She would have wanted to spend a little more time with Piper after their civil wedding but she knew it would be asking too much since Piper already took a significant amount of days off upon her release. It just felt wrong to just up and leave the morning after and abandon her new wife. She wanted the event to be at least special but she knew they had a couple of limitations to contend with.

She vowed to make their future wedding ceremony and the days after that special for Piper.

"Babe….." Piper gave her partner a quick reassuring peck, "we got each other now. I know you have a lot of things planned and I know you are getting antsy and excited and frustrated and all sorts of things but it's all going to be alight."

"You're right."

"The wife is always right. Bear that in mind."

O

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* * *

They got married on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon.

As a gift, their friends chipped in and booked a VIP suite for the whole party. They ordered food and wine and had their intimate wedding reception inside the suite's gorgeous living room. The idiots even created a "program" of sorts. They gave tipsy speeches and toasts, ordered a very aesthetically looking two-tiered cake (which Alex _loved_) and Anna sang as they danced to their "first dance" while the rest took photos and videos with their phones. It was simple and intimate and Piper and Alex were beyond stoked. The celebration ended before midnight and the rest of the group left the hotel suite to give the newlyweds their much needed time alone.

They made slow, passionate love later on – opting to call it a night after just one round since Piper was set to go to work the afternoon shift the next day. They didn't mind though because right there, wrapped in each other's arms, nothing else mattered.

O

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* * *

"Holy shit…," Piper's eyes widened at the sight in front of her. She had to reread the printed text that Alex handed to her during dinner just to be sure that she got it right. "Is this for real?"

Alex chuckled at her wife's reaction. Brad had advised her to be chill during the meetings and for Alex to let him do most of the talking and negotiating. The brunette nearly shat herself when the paper was pushed towards her to check on. "That was my reaction too, babe. At least internally."

"I didn't know they pay this much."

"It's not Victoria's Secret or Calvin Klein but it had been gaining popularity in the last few years." Alex beamed at her wife. She was shown the advertising and marketing concept and the brunette loved it. They were pushing the themes of resilience, grit, second chances and beauty amidst flaws. The underwear she was going to wear for the shoot – both in print and video – was sexy yet very tasteful. They did ask her to strip and try on the garments and took some photos as well. They did want her from the get-go and Alex was grateful to know that the whole campaign was created with _her _in mind and the concept was built around her. She felt like they were partners and she was not just someone they wanted to take advantage of.

"Two hundred fifteen grand base pay, thirty-five grand in signing bonus and 0.5percent share in sales over the next three years," Piper was in shock.

"And Brad just received the initial offers from the two other companies. They wanted us to go over them first and give them feedback before they fly here for more negotiations or something. Babe, Brad is a legit killer. He should consider being a full-time agent."

"I don't know what to say….."

"The base pay from the others was not as big. But they were still pretty substantial babe," Alex grinned. "So what do you think?"

"You do whatever you want, Al. I mean, baby, these are amazing deals."

"You know what these mean," Alex wiggled her eyebrow playfully; "we can totally buy a house baby. A house and we can start a business or something!"

Piper felt the warmth envelop her body at the sight of her wife _that _happy. Those gorgeous green eyes sparkled and her whole face lit up with glee that the blonde could not help but feel emotional. Seeing Alex all excited was enough to make her feel rejuvenated as well.

"Settle down, baby," the blonde teased, "gather your thoughts and let's talk about the things going on in that beautiful brain of yours..."

"You're right," Alex looked sheepish, "I'm getting restless and I need to relax and focus."

"What do you say we finish dinner, clean up and cuddle on the couch and talk some more?"

"Beer?"

"Red wine."

Alex rolled her eyes but relented anyway, "fine."

O

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* * *

**Note:**

**These two are going to be busy – both individually and as a couple. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

**I don't own OITNB or any of its characters.**

O

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* * *

**Five Months Later…..**

Piper watched with intense interest from her spot by the large window as her spouse walked gingerly across their backyard. It was a normal routine of Alex's. The brunette would move to the backyard and nurse a bottle of beer and just survey the place. Sometimes, Zeus – their adorable golden retriever – would be shadowing Alex. Tonight though, their dog was adorably playing across the yard paying Alex no mind.

They moved into their new house two weeks ago.

It was a gorgeous Cape-Cod style home in one of Columbus' gated communities. The almost 2,500 square feet home that sat on an 8,000 square feet lot consisted of four bedrooms and three and a half baths. There was a small-sized pool in a rather big backyard that Alex had a lot of fun working with their landscaper to design.

Things happened so fast that Piper still could not fathom how they found themselves still standing up and not paralyzed due to fatigue. It had been a whirlwind of one decision after the other. The past months passed by in frenzy and for a while, Alex and Piper felt like they were transported back in time – back when they would jump from one adventure then onto the next with exhilarating pace.

_Just a week after their courthouse wedding, Alex had been whisked away to New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago for shoots – all with her probation officer in tow. Piper was unable to come with her wife to all of them because she herself had her own stuff to attend to. _

_The blonde – upon Alex's suggestion – decided to revive the old soap business she had with Polly. So she flew with Alex to New York and met up with her former bestfriend. Polly was more than willing to relinquish any control and connection to the business. Well, at this point, what was left of PoPi was just the idea itself. Polly wanted to focus on her life with Larry and Finn and their new baby on the way. But Piper wanted to make sure that there would be no issues since she wanted to legally acquire some of the products that she made herself. Polly was more than willing to sign all the necessary documents. As an added sign of goodwill, Larry and Polly invited Piper and Alex to dinner at their Park Slope apartment but Piper declined since they were scheduled to fly to Los Angeles early the next day._

_In between Alex's shoots, they were able to squeeze in some time to check on homes – something that Alex was adamant they purchase as soon as her paycheque cleared. They settled on the same community that Brad and Anna lived in which was a mere ten-minute drive from Piper and Alex's apartment. _

_They fell in love with the seventh house they visited and Alex immediately used her signing bonus as a deposit with the intention of paying the full asking price once the rest of her "salary" came through. Purchasing the house was a no-brainer – it was simply the best 305-grand investment they made._

_So while Alex was flown to different locations, Piper stayed in Ohio and busied herself with decorating their recently acquired nest. They still kept their apartment until the end of their lease because they agreed that they wanted to move into their new home only when everything was in order. Whenever their schedules synched up, they would visit the house to check for any possible designs or furniture or adjustments they wanted work on. Piper was mainly in charge of the interior while Alex practically banned Piper from any work outside the house itself._

_Piper noticed that something was bothering Alex a few days after they officially moved in their new home. The brunette was melancholic and had that far-away look in her eyes that worried Piper. One night, she decided to join Alex on her post-dinner walk with the intention of finding out what the issue was, _

_It did not take long for Alex to tell her wife what was bothering her._

"_It's not fair that I get to have these things and they're in there…." Alex's voice was shaky and Piper didn't need to hear more to know what or who she was referring to. Alex had always carried the guilt that came from Aydin's murder and Lolly's eventual fate. Alex also thought about Nicky and Red and Lorna and the rest of the women they called and considered family in the past few years. _

_Alex was particularly mortified about Lolly's current state and some days Piper watched her spouse grappled with the pain and guilt. _

_They mulled over therapy but Alex was apprehensive because it could mean accidentally admitting to murder. So Piper committed herself to be that person for Alex. They agreed to talk about anything and everything that was bothering them along with the continued promise to always be honest and open with each other no matter how hard the conversation may be. _

_After a series of talks (and a couple of shouting matches and one 'walk-out'), they arrived at a simple course of action. Alex would continue to work with Sophie and the PAWS Organization and get into their training program that would allow Alex to help people with mental health issues. Sophie - without knowing about the real genesis of such action from Alex – committed to helping Alex and Piper bring awareness to the lack of help for inmates suffering from mental illness. Sophie knew that Alex and Piper were very close to Red, Lorna, and Lolly and that knowledge alone was enough for her. _

_Piper also made a proposal to Alex with regards to the soap business. It entailed donating a percentage of their net revenues directly to Litchfield to ensure that a mental health program was reinstated for inmates suffering from such illness._

Something was bothering Alex again and Piper was keen to get to the bottom of it.

"Babe….." Piper hugged Alex from behind. She circled her arms across the taller woman's waist and rested her chin on Alex's shoulder. She loved holding Alex like this. "What's going through that mind of yours?" She kissed Alex's jaw as she tightened the hug. "Having some genius ideas about the soap business?" Piper decided to use the cheeky and light approach.

"Duh, Pipes," Alex shrugged her off with a scoff, "I'm not supposed to have any ideas. I'm _the _hot one, remember?"

Damn, Alex Vause. Really, what would Piper answer to that? She merely chuckled at her wife's words and held her tight as she inhaled her intoxicating scent. There were a lot of things about Alex that she was addicted to – her natural scent was one of them. Adorable barks grabbed their attention momentarily and they watched as Zeus play with the fallen leaves as if they were the most intriguing thing in the world.

Alex turned to face the blonde and the two easily fell into an embrace once more. "On a serious note, Al….." Piper prodded her wife to tell her what she was thinking about. "What's going on?"

Alex looked uncharacteristically _shy _all of a sudden and Piper was even more curious by now.

"Al…."

"Alright, alright…" Alex cleared her throat before addressing her wife, "Once the soap business starts running smoothly, I was thinking maybe we could, I don't know…..discuss if we would consider making this house a little bit noisier…..

This earned a confused reaction from the blonde.

They talked about working together to get the business up and running. Alex was all too happy to provide the capital and aid Piper in whatever areas she deemed necessary. Alex was pretty good at moving things around and 'sniffing' people out so she would be in charge of the hiring and distribution part so the blonde can focus on the products themselves and marketing them. As soon as the business was steady, Alex would gradually step out and focus on investing. There were a whole lot more of jobs – from more modeling and ad stints to voice over jobs. Then there was a pitch for a recurring role in a show should it be picked up by a network. She had all the intention to get as much money as she could possibly get and build and grow the dough before she took a dip into the investment world. She was pretty good with money but she knew she had so much more to learn before she would be comfortable enough to get into investing.

She would take her time. Slowly, but surely. She decided that for the time being, she would grow all her earnings in the bank.

"Noisier?"

"Like, I don't know, babe….a little Piper perhaps? God knows another you would mean a lot more noise around here," Alex smirked.

"Alex Vause…" Piper sucked in a deep breath and looked at her spouse with mock disbelief. "Are you saying you want to have a baby?"

"I'm saying we can look into it, Chapman. We –"

"It'sVause, excuse you!"

Alex snorted but continued nonetheless, "all I'm saying is that this house is too big for the three of us. We don't have to decide right away. I know you didn't have a positive experience when you babysat for Cal and Neri. So I totally get it if you don't want to. But I am putting it on the table and we can discuss it some other time." Alex sounded so steady and sure. The brunette - during one of Piper's prison visits - acknowledged the fact that she had her eggs frozen years ago while still married to Lana. Should they decide to have kids, using those eggs could be an option.

Piper was silent for a moment but Alex wasn't bothered by it one bit. The silence was comfortable and she knew her wife was processing what she just heard.

"I mean….back in the day…..," Piper bit her lip as the memory came crashing through, "back when we were together; before you know –"

"Before you left Paris….." Alex supplied. There was no hint of resentment at the mention of that event that used to spark so much hatred.

"Yes," Piper muttered softly. "When we had that _thing _in London," Piper looked into Alex's green eyes and bit her lip as a shiver ran through her body at the thought of what they have done that day.

Or what Alex had done to her.

"You mean when we role-played about –"

"Yes," Piper nodded. Alex grinned as she remembered that night. The role-play had the brunette acting like a douche who wanted to do Piper 'raw' for the 'first time'. A douche who insisted they would 'pull out' but eventually 'came' inside the blonde.

"That ejaculating strap on was pretty awesome…," Alex smirked.

"It really was," Piper grinned back. "It's stupid and embarrassing but I could not take my mind off the idea of _you _knocking me up."

The brunette's eyes widened in surprise at the information, "what?"

Piper was blushing hard and was suddenly self-conscious, "don't make fun of me, asshole…."

But Alex seemed emboldened at the sight of the blonde's reddened face. Making sure that Piper won't be able to wiggle her way out of their embrace, she proceeded to tease some more, "did you pee on a stick, babe?" Alex was laughing loudly but halted her actions when she noticed that Piper squirmed. The taller woman's face turned into one of disbelief, her eyes widened and her mouth went agape "no…"

In response, Piper extracted herself from Alex's arms and stomped her way back to the house. Alex, for her part, watched Piper's retreating form. She could not stop herself from laughing once again as she called out to her spouse, "Pipes, wait up!" She finished her beer off and haphazardly threw the bottle on the grass. She would clean it up tomorrow.

She ran after Piper, still goading her wife.

"Come on, babe! Tell me this story!"

"Shut up!" Piper yelled as she made her way up the stairs, Alex hot on her tail and still laughing – which only made Piper even more pissed. The brunette caught up with her wife in the hallway and grabbed her. Alex spun Piper around and hugged her once more; making sure Piper won't be able to escape from her hold.

"Pipes come on, baby," Alex peppered her wife's face with kisses, intent on diffusing the situation. A pissed off Piper, no matter how hot it may be, was not something Alex wanted this time. She _really _needed to hear this story. "I'm sorry; I promise I won't be an ass."

"Whatever," Piper grumbled but Alex knew that her resistance was crumbling. She knew the effects she had on Piper and she wouldn't mind playing dirty if it meant Piper would forgive her.

"I'll run us a bath and I'll massage your neck and back while you tell me the story?" Alex continued kissing her wife who by now was getting more turned on than pissed. "Yes? Say yes, baby?"

"Fine."

So Piper _actually _took a pregnancy test after she realized she was a week late. She knew it was ridiculous but she did it anyway. She figured Alex was shitting herself internally but since the brunette was behind her in the tub, she couldn't be sure.

"I know it's stupid. But I couldn't stop thinking that you got me pregnant that night. I mean, you were so into the role….."

"So good it seemed too real, huh?" Alex chuckled, her hand continued to massage Piper's back while leaving soft kisses on the blonde's neck.

"Yeah…." Piper nodded. She remembered 'acting' extremely panicked when Alex 'didn't pull out. "I remember feeling so disappointed when it turned negative but then again I felt so stupid because well, it _was so stupid_ and idiotic."

"It's actually pretty fucking adorable, kid," Alex said softly, her eyes locked adoringly with Piper's.

"We can look into it some time. Maybe have another conversation a few months from now –"

"Al," Piper leaned further into Alex as they played with each other's hands, "I know I told you babysitting made me realize I don't want kids but I only said that because I was stressed and frankly my niece was being a brat. But I've always thought about what it would be like to have little Alexes around," the blonde admitted shyly.

"As in plural?"

"Well…. With how active we were, I have always daydreamt that you would get me pregnant a bunch of times. I mean, goodness, Al. if you actually had a dick, I am sure we would have had at least seven by now – even with contraceptives and all that…"

"Diane would have loved that," Alex sighed, "she never met you personally but she adored you. I guess you can tell each time you talked to her over the phone."

"I know," Piper said solemnly. Diane indeed adored her.

"Next year."

"What?"

Piper scooted closer to Alex as they lay in their bed moments later. "Let's try for a baby next year."

"Yeah?"

Piper nodded. "Let's focus on us first. Get everything in order, help our Litchfield friends and enjoy our respective jobs. Then we'll look into our options next year. Good?"

"Fuck yeah!"

O

O

O

Piper was stressed out of her mind.

She wanted tonight to be perfect.

It was Alex's 40th birthday _and _their housewarming party all rolled into one. Alex wanted a more low-key birthday celebration – just a dinner between her and Piper and their friends at their favorite restaurant before calling it a night. But Piper was adamant that they celebrated Alex's birthday _properly. _To Piper, it meant pulling out all the stops to make it Alex's _best _birthday yet. It would be Alex's first birthday as Piper's wife and that alone was more than enough reason to celebrate.

Alex rolled her eyes at Piper's _craziness_. Not wanting to make a big deal out of her birthday, she suggested that they do the housewarming party at the same time. Piper was adamant at first about having two separate parties but Alex put her foot down and asked that Piper tone things down and just plan for a chill and relaxed night.

Not to be completely deterred, Piper took it upon herself to plan the party. She hired a caterer and a secret event planner.

"What the fuck?" Alex groaned at the sight of organized chaos in front of her. Their backyard was turned into some Pinterest-worthy scene filled with elegantly arranged tables and chairs and hanging circular lanterns. There are food stations and a _bar _and Piper was in the middle of it all, shouting last-minute orders.

The day started out pretty calmly. Piper prepared breakfast in bed and they lounged around the house until it was time for Sophie and the rest of the people at PAWS to fetch Alex for a birthday brunch. Piper stayed behind to prepare the house for the party. She had asked Sophie to accompany Alex to the spa until well into the afternoon after their group brunch.

She figured a relaxed and pampered Alex would be more _forgiving _for what she had prepared.

"It's like Carol threw up all over the place….," Alex said in disbelief.

As if on cue, Carol Chapman strode towards Alex with a huge smile on her face. "Alex, honey, happy birthday!" The blonde woman greeted Alex with a kiss on both cheeks. She arrived from Los Angeles a few hours ago and would be staying in one of their guest rooms. Cal and his family arrived almost at the same time and were napping in the room beside Carol's. Piper had her hands full since the moment Alex left for brunch.

"Thank you, Carol."

"It's such a lovely home, dear," Carol said observed warmly, "you and Piper have done a terrific job. And oh! I love how the party is coming along. It's wonderful!" Carol was utterly and sincerely ecstatic and Alex could not help but smile genuinely. She guessed she could humor her wife. She wanted something simpler but looking at all the effort Piper had put into the event, she thought she might as well enjoy it.

In the middle of the whole thing though, Alex could not resist getting in a teasing remark or a dig at her wife.

It was just too easy.

"Hey, Carol Jr.," Alex whispered into Piper's ear as soon as she saw a very rare alone time with her wife. They barely had time to themselves – being whisked away in conversations with their families, friends, and neighbors.

Piper huffed at the 'name' Alex had been calling her each time they came in contact with each other. Alex had the decency to do so only when no one else could hear but the 'name' still annoyed the blonde. "Fuck you," she whispered before she grabbed the back of Alex's neck and pulled her into a loving kiss. Piper rubbed smooth circles across Alex's jaw while she looked into those gorgeous green eyes. "You having fun?"

"Surprisingly so," Alex beamed as she gave Piper a couple of pecks. She truly did. The food was great, the open bar was the bomb and she loved the people they had around. "You didn't have to do all these things but thank you."

"I just want you to have an amazing birthday, babe," Piper said softly, almost shyly. And she did. She wanted great things for Alex. Heck, the saved up for this day.

"I'm still calling you Carol Jr. though…"

"Al!" Piper whined. "I am _so _not like her!"

Alex just looked at her smugly, "that's understandable. You're apparently still in the first stage. You know _denial_. But babe, look around you. You can't tell me Cal will bat an eyelash if we told him Carol planned all _these_."

Piper looked at her wife with narrowed eyes but Alex remained unaffected. In fact, she looked even more emboldened. As if there was more she wanted to say and could barely contain herself. "Don't you dare say anything more a-"

"And come to think of it…you're looking more and more like your mother each day."

"I do not!"

"Fuck….," Alex shook her head mockingly, "the similarities are uncanny. Eerily so….."

"No post-party sex for you then!"

Alex chuckled, "we'll see, Carol Jr."

O

O

Piper should have known that Alex would get her way. Alex Vause was a master seducer and she barely needed to lift a finger to make people fall all over her feet.

Sophie was the bait that Alex used to make sure she would get her initially promised post-party _gift._

Alex was aware of Piper's 'controlled' jealousy over the blonde veterinarian. They had arguments about Alex's closeness with her and it did not help that Alex did acknowledge that she found Sophie attractive and admired her passion for her jobs – both as a doctor and as a volunteer. The brunette worked with PAWS twice e or thrice a week whenever her schedule allowed her to. Sophie was still her partner during said visits to the penitentiary.

Alex explained that Sophie was just a friend and she had all the intention to keep it that way. She never had friends of the same gender. She didn't even really have friends of she was being honest. Fahri was like a brother to her and back then, all the women around her were either colleagues she had no interest in befriending nor bedding or moles she had to sleep with without any feelings in order to keep them in line. Sophie was the first real friend she had outside prison. It was a welcome development in Alex's life and there was no way she was jeopardizing that. And of course, she was madly in love with Piper _Vause_ and it was a breeze being faithful to her spouse.

But from time to time, Alex can be naughty and a bit of an asshole.

As the party came to a close with most of the gone and knowing what the effect of Alex's close relationship with Sophie had on Piper, the brunette went in for the first strike. She made sure that Piper would see her eyeing Sophie, touching her a little bit longer and more affectionately than necessary – all the little things that she knew drove Piper mad.

"Alex," Sophie addressed her friend with a raised brow, "I want to leave this party with all my teeth intact and my pretty face unharmed," the blonde gritted her teeth at her friend, "for fuck's sake Piper looks ready to smash one of our faces and I refuse to be that person. So….," Sophie gave Alex a knowing look before she downed the contents of her glass, "I'm calling it a night. Happy birthday, and no, I am not giving you a hug nor a goodbye kiss." The blonde gave Piper a wave before she hurried out of the house, leaving Alex to deal with whatever was coming her way.

O

_Jealous Piper was always a treat. _

_Alex remembered how memorable their encounter had been when Piper learned of her little sexual tryst with Flaca and Maritza after she broke up with the blonde over her disgusting power tripping._

_ Alex was losing her mind over the possibility of Kubra hiring someone to kill her. Then there was Piper who had cheated on her with the tattooed kangaroo. She needed to feel something other than paranoia and anger. Flaca was still reeling over being mistreated by Piper and one thing led to another and the next thing they knew they were having a hot, messy threesome with Ramos. The rendezvous happened two more times until a particularly heated hallway exchange occurred between Piper and Flaca. The latter decided it was a great idea to mouth off and inform the blonde of their little affair with Alex. _

_A passing guard saved Flaca from getting her face smashed by Piper. _

_Alex - later corned by a livid Piper, allowed the blonde to push her against the wall and be ravaged by the younger woman. When Alex was sure that Piper was so far into the act, she smugly pushed Piper off her with a "sorry, you smell like a kangaroo. My boner just shrank" before she left Piper hanging._

_Stella wasn't very lucky as she got the brunt of Piper's rage. Max became her new home after her little thieving antics. The blonde would have considered just letting it go but she was seething from what she had learned about Alex and Flaca and Maritza. Perhaps if she had managed to throw in a punch, things may have been different. But Stella deserved it anyway and she needed to do something drastic to release all the anger she had within her._

_She always had a problem with other people touching or looking at Alex. But Alex with other people? Piper would cut a bitch._

Alex barely made it into their bedroom when Piper practically attacked her. The blonde's lips were instantly on Alex's own lips – aggressive and dominating.

"Look at me," Piper growled as she stripped herself of her dress, "those eyes better know where and what they _should _look at!"

"Only at my wife," Alex smiled mischievously.

"And who should those hands be touching, huh?" Piper snarled in irritation.

"Only my wife," Alex bit her bottom lip as Piper roughly grabbed her hand so she could rip the blonde's underwear off that _deliciously _sexy body.

"And who's your wife?"

"Are you asking about my favorite wife or –"

"Fuck you!" Piper shoved Alex towards their bed. The brunette was nothing but delighted at the sight of her pissed off-horny-jealous wife. She remembered how angry Piper had been when she jokingly introduced her to the PAWS guys as _'my favorite wife, Piper'_.

Like a feral beast, Piper made quick work of getting Alex naked. She was a woman on a mission and there was no stopping the force that was Piper Chapman (Vause now, as she would always correct Alex).

Piper nuzzled the brunette's thighs and licked the juncture where her pale hip and leg met. Alex moaned at the ticklish feeling of the blonde's breath and gasped softly when Piper's tongue traced the shape of her clit.

Alex fisted Piper's hair and pulled her closer to her core. The younger woman dipped her tongue inside Alex's hole and started pleasuring the brunette. Pipera pushed the back of Alex's knees up, allowing her r tongue into Alex deeper as Piper's nose grazed her wife's clit.

"Fuck, Pipes, I'm cumming…. S-shit…."

Piper hummed as she continued her ministrations. Alex's cum trickled out of her pussy which Piper eagerly lapped up.

Dissatisfied, Piper inserted her index and middle finger into Alex's warm, wet pussy and thrust them at a punishing speed. Her tongue continued to swirl across the older woman's swollen clit and the actions drove Alex crazy. The pleasure was all too much and she embarrassingly came again.

"Mine," Piper growled, her fingers not stopping from fucking Alex deep and hard, "you are mine and mine only!"

"Yours…..I'm all yours, baby…." Alex panted; she was delirious and extremely turned on.

Her wife was so freaking hot.

They spent the rest of the night making love, not minding the fact that the rest of the Chapman's were within a few feet away from their room.

O

O

O

The next morning was _interesting. _

The Chapman's had an early start and already had breakfast when Piper came down. Cal and Neri were playing in the backyard with Goddall while Carol was sipping her coffee in the lounging chair by the pool. They decided to let Alex sleep in some more and agreed to help Piper prepare their lunch in a few hours.

"Way to go, sis!" Cal hollered across the yard as Piper took a seat beside her mother. Piper rolled her eyes at her brother's obnoxious laughing. "You and Alex sure had a _pleasurable_ night, huh?"

"Shut up, Calvin!" Piper shushed her brother as she felt her cheeks get heated.

"You should have done more of that last night, Pipe!" Cal was having a blast goading his sister but stopped when Carol gave him a pointed look.

Carol turned to her blushing daughter and raised her brow, "Piper, honey, I'm really glad that you and Alex are extremely sexually compatible. I believe it's one of the ingredients to a lasting relationship."

"Mom…..." Piper groaned. This was so not what she wanted to talk to her mother about.

"Oh hush, you. I think you're' past the point of getting embarrassed about your sex life _after _what we all heard last night. My goodness, child, that good, huh?"

"Fine," Piper huffed, "it's out of this world. I mean, you've seen Alex. You really can't blame me."

Carol merely nodded as she hummed in agreement. "Have you told her about my gift?"

Piper's eyes instantly brightened at the mention of her mother's gift. It surprised the younger blonde but she was more amazed and quite honestly just proud of what her mother had done. For all her faults, Carol had been ready to learn and make amends. She was far from perfect and she still had her moments but Piper was thrilled at how much her mother had stepped up and _changed _for the better. "No, I haven't, Mom. I figured I'd let you do the honors," Piper said with a radiant smile.

Carol stood at the kitchen foyer and watched silently as Alex and Piper cleaned up. As Piper passed the brunette on her way to the dishwasher, her daughter planted a kiss on Alex's cheek. The response was instantaneous and the taller woman playfully slapped Piper's behind. What followed was one of the gentlest hugs she'd seen in her life. For all the pain and drama these two caused each other, despite all the heartbreaks and toxicity – the undeniable love between them was all too consuming to ignore. Yes, there was too much bad stuff, but the good far outweighed them.

She wished Bill could have witnessed _this. _Their child was blissful and loved and taken cared of. She could understand where Bill was coming from. She still thought that there was a part of him that yearned to re-establish a connection with Piper but at the moment, he was too proud to go down his high horse to see that while Alex seemed bad for Piper on the surface, one only needed to be with them for a short moment to realize that these two were meant to be together.

Oh well, perhaps he needed more time. For now, though, he was sorely missing out on seeing what real love and happiness felt and looked like.

As soon as Piper saw her mother, she excused herself and made her way upstairs. Carol crossed the foyer and greeted her daughter-in-law. There was still a bit of awkwardness between them but things had been way better than ever. Carol motioned for Alex to take a seat across from her in the dining table. The brunette looked curious but readily followed suit.

"Piper and I had been talking and she mentioned how you've been quite distressed over the condition of your friends back in Litchfield," Carol opened up and noticed how Alex tensed up. Piper had told her about someone named Lolly whom Piper described as Alex's 'savior'. Her daughter didn't go into a lot of details but the older woman figured this Lolly person had helped Alex cope inside the prison and had been a good friend to her.

"She didn't divulge much, and only shared that a certain Lolly, Red, and Suzanne were really close to you girls. They're in need of mental health care, yes?"

"Uh, yes," Alex gulped. She knew Piper would never tell Carol about the 'real deal' but talking about Lolly still affected her. The guilt never went away and she felt that she hadn't done much at all to help Lolly.

"I know you're doing something to help inmates with mental health issues. The volunteer work you do and the monthly donations you girls give – they are great endeavors."

"I don't feel it helps as much as I wanted it to…..." Alex admitted. She wasn't allowed to visit Nicky nor Red and Lolly at Litchfield yet due to some technicality bullshit and it pissed her off. Thankfully, Piper was able to do so and Alex got to call Nicky and catch up with her.

"You're off to a wonderful start, Alex. You and Piper are bettering your lives so you can better other's lives. You can only do so much."

"I guess,' Alex shrugged. She still wasn't convinced that what they've been doing had created an impact and it frustrated her to no end.

"That is why… I thought, maybe I can give you this _gift_," Carol pushed a Manila envelope towards the brunette who looked at it with interest. She opened it upon Carol's wordless instruction and took out a stack of papers. Her green eyes skimmed over the pages, both filled with curious wonderment. "I asked a number of my friends from Connecticut, New York, and even L.A. if they would like to be a part of something good."

"Carol….."

"We are a bunch of old ladies who decided to create a charity organization that will financially support the inmates of Litchfield Penitentiary who are in need of mental health care. We will closely monitor the progress of the patients. We also made sure that Red, Lolly, and Suzanne were on the list."

Alex was genuinely touched at the gesture. When Piper casually told her that Carol had a gift for her, she was expecting something along the lines of jewelry since it was her business after all. But this? This was beyond amazing. "Carol, _thank you_. This means so much."

Carol waved her off, "Dear, I organize balls and charity events since I was nineteen. I barely had to break a sweat. But Piper told me you've been feeling really down about leaving behind your friends – who were practically like a family to you girls – in such sad situations. I figured that although it may not be much, perhaps you can find comfort in the knowledge that they are taken cared of."

"I can totally kiss you right now," Alex chuckled, trying to mask the overwhelming emotions that enveloped her.

"I think Piper would take exception and not hit her mother when she sees you kiss me," Carol smiled, "but just to be sure, you can just give me a hug."

O

O

O

* * *

**Notes:**

**Flaca-Alex-Maritza? What?! Sorry, it just happened in my head. **

**I apologize for the delay. I hope to update more frequently. **

**More things coming Vauseman's way.**

**Let me know what you think or if there are things you wish to see in the coming chapters.**

**All mistakes are mine. 'Til next time!**


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